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Advocate

Creating long-term change, one step at a time

At Mile High United Way, advocacy is part of our coordinated effort to create lasting, positive change for people in our community – and beyond.

We know that improving public policy is a critical way to create more pathways to success for children, youth, and adults. When we bring together investment, lobbying, and community engagement to highlight and support critical issues, we change the odds for children and families in our community.

Investing in Metro Denver
Mile High United Way takes an active role in creating long-term change, and investment is one of the ways we do this. Over the past year, we’ve invested in a variety of local organizations whose public policy programs align with our Community Impact Goals:

9to5 Colorado

A Plus Denver

Bell Policy Center

Colorado Center on Law and Policy

Colorado Children’s Campaign

Colorado Fiscal Institute

Colorado Immigrant Funders Collaborative

FRESC

Stand for Children

Padres & Jovenes Unidos

In addition to aligning with our Community Impact Goals, organizations we fund use a two-generation approach - serving children and parents simultaneously - to help entire families advance economically.

Lobbying to make a difference
At the State Capitol, Mile High United Way’s staff and board regularly provide testimony on bills related to our Community Impact Goals, and our lobbyist represents our interest in seeing the Metro Denver community thrive.

Taking action, together
Here are three areas that Mile High United Way is focused on improving policy:

Supporting families with improved child care:
When families have access to continuous, stable child care, children benefit emotionally, psychologically, and educationally – while parents have not only peace of mind, but more time to focus on earning a living. These policy efforts focus on increasing funding for families who need help paying for child care, increasing access to child care for more families, and improving the quality of child care.

Creating additional protections for low-income workers with families:
By improving labor policies that affect working parents – including an increase in the minimum wage, advance notice of job schedules, the right to request and receive flexible, predictable job schedules, the right to a minimum number of hours, paid family and medical leave, and paid sick days – our community can better support low-income workers in their role as parents. Enforcement of existing labor protections, such as overtime, wage-theft, family and medical leave act, and minimum wage laws, ensure working parents can succeed in the workplace and at home.

Providing more support for families’ basic needs:
When we can assure families access to reliable transportation, affordable housing, and high quality, affordable child care, we are giving more people the chance to achieve financial stability and future succcess.

Community engagement
Interested in learning more or taking part? We have several community engagement opportunities for our advocates during the year:

Events with elected officials – Meet with your local and state representatives to learn about issues you care about

Resident engagement – In United Neighborhoods, we support residents to become advocates for themselves, their families and their community

Get involved
For more information about our Advocacy efforts and how you can get involved, please contact Roweena Naidoo, Director Policy and Economic Success at Roweena.Naidoo@unitedwaydenver.org or (303) 561-2325.

Get Involved

2017 Policy Successes

HB-1002Child Care Expenses Tax Credit has been sent to the GovernorHB-1106Extend Early Childhood Leadership Commission has been sent to the GovernorHB-1140Enhance Student Support Colorado School of Mines has been signed by the GovernorHB-1184Modern Technology Education in Public Schools has been signed by the Governor after failing last yearHB-1301No Withholding Student Transcripts for Non-Payment of Fines has been sent to the GovernorHB-1340School Finance Interim Committee has been sent to the Governor after failing the last three yearsSB-68School Counselors Early Support for Students has been sent to the GovernorSB-103Early Learning Strategies in Education Accountability has been sent to the GovernorSB-110Accessibility of Exempt Family Childcare was signed by the GovernorSB-245Tenancies One Month to One Year Notice has been sent to the GovernorSB-267Hospital Provider Fee Reclassification/Sustainability for Rural Colorado has been sent to the Governor after failing the last two years

Up Next: Priorities for the 2018 Legislative Session:

HB-1210Suspensions/Expulsions in Early Childhood failed in the Senate State Affairs committee in 2017 due to opposition from the Rural Alliance of Public Schools. The coalition supporting this bill, including Colorado Children’s Campaign and Padres Unidos, will meet over the summer to regroup.

Two bills, HB-1309Documentary Fee to Fund Affordable Housing and HB-1310Residential Landlord Screening Fee, failed in the Senate State Affairs committee this year due to opposition from the Colorado Realtor’s Association. The coalition supporting these bills, including Housing Colorado, will meet over the summer to regroup.

SB-287Income Tax Credit for Donation to Endowment Fund failed after dying on the calendar in House Appropriations committee on the final day of the 2017 legislative session. The coalition supporting this bill had strong bipartisan support in the State Senate, so we’re excited to work with our partners at Colorado Nonprofit Association on a strategy for the 2018 legislative session.